Air conditioning apparatus



Augl- 1942- L. auuesms 2,292,562

AIR CONDITIONING AILPARATUS v Filed July 15, 19:59 :s Sheets-Sheet '1 FILTER 51 FIG 2;

lNV ENTOR I tar-0y 6. Hugglns I BY "4/ W I Y ATTOR Y us- 1942. L. G. HUGGINS 2,292,562

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed July 15, 1939 a Sheets-Sheet 2 ajmwgzw ig. WW

Aug. 1 1,1 1942. L. cs. HUGGINS 2,292,562

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Y Filed July 15, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 wmmssss; V 75 37 INVENTOR Leroy 6. Huyy/ns Patented Aug. 11,1942 1 v orrics ant'oonnrrromoarranarus Leroy Gale Huggins, Springfield,,Mass., assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East'Pittsburgh, Pa... a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 15,1939, Serial No. 284,601

1 Claim. (01. 257-137) I My invention relatesto air conditioning apparatus, more particularly to a self-contained air 1 The above and other objects are.effected' by my'invention as will be apparent from the following description and claim taken in connection rangement of parts in a unit of the character set forth.

with the acco'mpanyingdrawings, forming a part v of this application, in which:'

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of my novel selfcontained air cooling unit,- taken on the line I,I of Fig. 2;

a front elevation, with parts broken 1$ awayf -Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of my invention;

Fig. .4 is a perspective view of the modified I unit with parts ofthe housing removed; 7

Fig. 5 is a front elevation, partly in section along the line VV of Fig. '6; and,

Fig. 6 is an end elevation, partly in section along the line VI'VI of-Fls. 5. Referring first to the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2,1 show an air conditioning unit, more specifically a self-con- I tained air cooling unitincluding a complete. refrigerant circuit. The unit may also,-as shown, comprise elements for heating and humidifying the air. The unit includes a housing ll, preferably of rectangular form, as shown, and of any suitable construction. The housing II is provided zontal partition which extends from the front wall, between the inlet openings l6 and the outlet openings l'l, rearwardly to the partition I9.

The partitions are secured in place in any suitable manner, as by means of right angle'flanges, and form, together with adjacent wall portions of the cooling compartment, a fan discharge chamber 2 l disposed adjacent the outlet openings 11,- as shown in Fig. 1.

A'fan 22 is provided in the upper portion of the cooling compartment between the partition ll. and the rear wall I3. It is disposed, as shown in' Fig. 1, with its outlet .23 at the top and so as'to discharge air in horizontal alignment with the Q outlet-openings H. The partition is is formed with an opening 24 in registry with the fan outlet 23. In the present embodiment. the fan casing is mounted on the partition I! by connecting portions surrounding the outlet 23 and the opening 24. For example,,the fan casing may ,be provided with flanges 25 overlying andattached to adjacent portions of the partition I. The shaft of the fan is journaled in bearings 26, one of which is mounted on a bracket 21, attached to 'a partition 28 extending downwardly from the partition 20, and the other of which is mounted on a bracket 29 attached to the partition I l. An electric motor 30, mounted on thepartltion l9, drives the fan shaft through asuitable belt and pulley connection, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I I

Other air treating apparatus may be disposed in the lower portion of the compartment ll be-v tween the. evaporator and the rear wall. For example, a heating coil 30 may be disposed against the evaporator 83 and spray nozzles of any suitwith a vertical partition II, which extends between the front wall I! and the rear wall It anddivides the interior of the housing into an air cooling or air treating compartment II and a machine or unit compartment It. The front wall I2 ,is formed with air inlet openings II and air outlet openings I'l communicating with the air treating compartment II, the outlet openings being disposed above the inlet openings. Suitable vanes ll may-be disposed inthe openings as is commoninthe art.

Within the cooling compartment l4, thereis provided a vertical partition II which extends downwardly from the top wall in spaced and parallel relation to'the front wall 12, and a horiable type maybe provided as indicated at 31. An expansion valve 38 for the refrigerant circuit may be located, for example. as shown in Fig. 1. Themachine compartment ll houses the condensing' unit which is enclosed in a fluid-tight casing. This unit containsthe compressor, its

drive motor, and the condenser. The evaporator 33, the compressor, the condenser and the e!- pans'ion valve 38 are connected in refrigerant flow relation in a complete refrigerant circuit as is fully understood by any one skilled in the art,

so that further description of the refrigerating system is deemed When the unit is to be suspended from ceiling, suspension'bolts it are extended through the. unit as shown in Fig. 1, the bolts extending through the channel iron base 3| and'beingproengaging the bottom of the unit,

' Figs. 1 and 'Z-Operation The refrigerating system operates in the wellknown'manner of such apparatus to supply refrigerant to the evaporator 33. In the condensing unit, the refrigerant is compressed by the compressor and liquefied in the condenser. The liquid refrigerant is then conveyed through a suitable conduit (not shown) to the expansion device 38. wherein the pressure of the refrigerant is reducedand the flow thereof is regulated. The refrigerant is then conveyed through the evaporator 33 in which it serves to extract heat from the air flowing through the evaporator and is thereby vaporized. The vaporized refrigerant is returned to the condensing unit for recirculation.

The fan 22, when driven by the motor 30, is operative to effect circulation of air through .the cooling compartment as follows: Air from the room in which the unit is placed is drawn into the cooling compartment horizontally through the inlet opening J6 and the filter 3|. The air stream fiows horizontally through the evaporator and also through the heating coil 36. The

stream of air extends for a distance, for example, of twenty feet and is effective to produce circulation of air in the room. Air from the room is drawn into the inlet opening it without producing any draft.

The self-contained air cooling unit or air conditioning unit shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is especially adapted for mounting in the upper portion of a room, and is adapted for mounting in any one of several different ways. For example, it may be suspended from the ceiling by means of the suspension bolts 40. Also, it may be set on top of a cabinet or case in a store. It may also be mounted on a platform attached to the wall. The unit may be located with its rear wall l3 disposed against the wall of the room, inasmuch as the air is drawn into the unit and discharged therefrom through its front wall.

, Figs. 3 to 6 In Figs. 3 to 6, I show a modified form of my invention which incorporates some suggestions of John L. Ditzler. The unit shown in these figures is at present a preferred embodiment suitable for somewhat smaller capacities thanthe first embodiment.

This unit comprises a housing iii which may be suspended from the ceiling by means of suspension bolts ii orwhich may be set'onany suitable supporting surface, such as a platform or the top of acabinet or case. The housing is provided with a partition extending between the front wall 53 and the rear wall SI, and dividing the interior of the housing into a cooling compartment 55 and a machine compartment 58, disposed side-by-side, similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Within-the cooling compartment 55, a vertical partition 5,1 extends downwardly from the front wall 53. A horizontal partition 58 extends from the bottom of the partition 51 to the front From the latter, the air is disof the housing. The partitions I1 and II form,

together with the adjacent wall portions of the 5 cooling compartment. a discharge chamber I.

As will be apparent from Figs. 4 and 6, the front'of the cooling compartment is open, providing an inlet opening SI and an outlet opening 62, the inlet opening being disposed beneath the outlet opening, and the division between the two openings being, formed by the partition I8. A common grill element 63 is removably mounted in the inlet and outlet openings, being provided with one set of louvers M extending across the inlet opening GI, and a second set of louvers 85 extending across the outlet opening I2.

A centrifugal fan 66 is disposed in the upper portion of the cooling compartment; between the partition 51 and the rear wall 54. As in the first embodiment, the fan 66 is disposed with its axis extending horizontally and with itsgoutlet disposed on the upper side-so as to discharge horizontally into the discharge chamber 59 and through the outlet 62. The casing of the fan S6 is supported by connecting it at the outlet. for example,'by bolting it to right angle flanges of the partition 51, the partition 50 and the top of the housing 50. The fan shaft is iournaled in bearings 61 mounted on brackets attached to the left-hand side wall and to the partition 52, a

respectively, as shown in Fig. 5. The right-hand end of the fan shaft extends through the partition 52 into the machine compartment It, and a pulley I9 is mounted on the projecting portion. A motor I0 is provided for driving the same. It may be located in either compartment, but it is preferably located in the cooling compartment in order that it may be properly cooled. As shown, it is mounted on the partition I! by means of a bracket II and its shaft extends through the partition into the machine compartment. A pulley I2 is mounted on the projecting portion of the motor shaft, and it is disposed in alignment with the pulley 69. A belt I! is mounted on the two pulleys, so that the fan is driven by the motor through the pulleys N and {I2 and the belt I3.

A filter ll of any suitable type across-the inlet opening I on the inside of the grill element. 63. It is adapted to be inserted and removed through the inlet opening Oi when the grill element is removed, and it is retainedinposition in any suitable manner, for example, as shown in Fig. 6.

A refrigerant evaporator II is disposed in a vertical plane and mounted-in horizontal alignment withthe inlet opening", as shown in Fig. 6. It may be, as shown, set in a drain pan".

The evaporator "I! may be, as shown, of the wellknown. type comprising serpentine coils and transversefinsor plates providing extended heat transfer Apa'rtition 11 extending be-v tween the partition I. and the top of the evaporator'may be provided to prevent the by-passing of air over the top of evaporator, and a similar partition "maybe provided to close thespace between the left-hand end of the. evaporator and the left-hand side wall. 7 Here again, provision may be made for by-passing'air around the evaptop wall in spaced and parallel relation to the orator as-desired. The expansion valve for resulating the flow of refrigerant to the evaporator is shown at 19 and may be of any suitable type known in the art. I have also shown a heat 7 transfer device II for transferring heat from the liquid refrigerant flowing to the expansion valve to the vaporizedrefrigerant leaving the evaporator through the suction conduit 82. The use is disposed the evaporator 15, through each of which the air flows substantially horizontally. The air then of such a heat transfer device is, of course, optional. v

A heating element may be provided within the air-treating or cooling compartment 55, preferably'in the path of the air between the evaporator and the fan. As shown on the drawing, a

heating element 83 is'disposed horizontally immediately below the fan casing and is'suspended by two sheet metal members or hangers 84,

which also serve to prevent by-passing of air around the heating element.

In the present embodiment, a motor compressor unit 85 of the horizontally enclosed type is disposed within the machine compartment 56.

The condenser 86, in this case, is of the double tube type and is shown as wound helically around a portion of the motor compressor unit. The condenser is water cooled, the water being supplied through a conduit 81 and controlled by a regulating valve 88. A suitable electrical con-' trol device 89 may be mounted on the rear wall 54 within the machine compartment 56. It will be apparent, however, that the electrical control may be of any suitable type so far as the present invention is concerned.

'I'he'evaporator 15, the motor compressor unit '85, the condenser 86, and the expansion valve 19 are connected in a complete refrigerant circuit of 1 the conventional mechanical compression type.

Inasmuch as systems of this type are well known in the art, it is thought unnecessary to describe the detail connections. However, it is to be understood that the entire refrigerant circuit is enclosed within the housing 50, so that the refrigerating system may be completed and fully charged at the. factory and shipped with the refrigerant charge therein. Accordingly, it-is unnecessary to provide the services of a skilled re- A frigeration service man to install this unit.

Figs. 3- to s-operation' The refrigerating system operates in the usual manner of such apparatus, the refrigerant vapor being compressed by the motor compressor unit 85, condensed in the condenser 86, conveyed through suitable connecting conduits to the expansion valve 18 which regulates the flow and reduces the pressure thereof.' The refrigerant is then admitted to the evaporator 15 wherein it is vaporized in extracting heat from the air flowing over the surfaces of the tubes and fins. The refrigerant vapor is retumed' to the motor compressor unit for recirculation.

The fan 66 provides circulation of air therethrough'as follows: Air from the room is drawn through the inlet opening 6|, the filter I4 and flows. over the motor 18 to cool the same, upwardly in contact with the heating element 83 to the inlet of the fan. The air is then discharged by the fan horizontally through its outlet into the discharge chamber 59, from which it is discharged through the'outlet 62. The provision of the discharge chamber 59 allows .the air to be discharged from the outlet 62 at a'velocity lower than that at which it is discharged from the fan.

As in the first embodiment, the discharge of the air through the outlet 82 produces .a jet or stream extending across the top of the room at an elevation above the heads of the people. This stream of air produces circulation of air in the room and also entrains a certain portion of unconditioned air, so that the air reaching the people in the room is tempered.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that onlysuch limitations shall' tion disposedin parallel and spaced relation to said vertical outer wall and having an opening opposite to the air outlet therein, a horizontal partition extending from said vertical outer wall, between said outlet and said inlet, to said vertical partition to form therewith a discharge chamber adjacent said air outlet, a centrifugal fan having'its outlet connected to said opening anddisposed to discharge air horizontally therethrough into said discharge chamber, saidvinlet extending above the lowermost part of said fan, a heat transfer element disposed adjacent said fan and in horizontal alignment with said air in-- let, the parts being constructed and arranged so that air entering through said inlet flows horio'izontally through said heat transfer element,

then to said fan, and is discharged horizontallyfrom said fan outlet, and flows horizontally through said discharge chamber and said air outlet.

I LEROY GALE'HUGGINS. 

